A Love in Full Color: The Story of Teal & Jarobi

It began, as the best love stories do, on a warm summer night in New York City. The kind of night where the air lingers thick with possibility, and time slows just enough to let magic slip through the cracks.

Teal and Jarobi met under the treetops and moonlight of The Cloisters on a balmy midnight in July. The city hummed in the background, distant but alive, as though it, too, was waiting to see what would unfold. All Jarobi remembers is that this was the most beautiful person he had ever seen. All Teal remembers is the way Jarobi’s smile stretched wide at seeing her—pure, unguarded, and full of light.

What followed was a night of endless conversation, of laughter spilling into the quiet corners of Fort Tryon Park, of a connection that felt like it had always existed. And, of course, triple-checking that Jarobi had no intentions to kill Teal. (He still doesn’t.)

By the next morning, Jarobi was desperate to see Teal again. But how? He was 24, living at home with his mother, and making less than minimum wage. What could he possibly offer?

AC. Yes—the AC his mother paid for.

So, with nothing to lose, he threw out a shot in the dark:

"Hey, would you want to come over and take a nap when you’re out of class? I have AC!"

Teal came over, and they shared the kind of nap that only exists in a perfectly cool bedroom on a sweltering summer day—the kind of nap where time stretches and folds into something weightless.

And just like that, their love story began…

For the next six weeks, Teal and Jarobi spent nearly every day together, their lives tangling effortlessly like they had always belonged to one another. By day five, Jarobi introduced Teal to his mother. (Why wait when you already know?)

A few weeks later, beneath the quiet hum of a late summer evening, they finally let the words they had been holding in slip free:

"I love you."

The early days of their love were spent moving between Teal’s apartment with its gorgeous fire escape overlooking the city and Jarobi’s family home at 436 Ft. Washington. There were late nights and slow mornings, meals shared in tiny kitchens, laughter that filled every space they occupied together. A midnight meeting. A nap that turned into a love story. A feeling that refused to fade.

In the fall of 2018, their little family grew. After several visits to the ACC, Teal and Jarobi came across their sweet baby, Porkchop. The iridescent silver pitbull with the shortest legs possible and yet full of personality and stubbornness. They chose each other instantly, and she came home with them that night. She would grow into her fullest self, always trailing Jarobi’s ankles for snacks and standing guard by Teal’s side as she rested on the couch. The truest nap buddy there ever was.

In 2021, their love transformed into something even more tangible—a place to call their own at 251 Fort Washington. But this was never just a home. It was an extension of their creativity, their love, and their ever-growing world. Every room pulsed with its own energy, a bold and fearless reflection of the life they were building together. An avocado-green living room, lush and grounding, where ideas sparked over morning coffee. A gold-ceilinged living space, where the light danced across the walls like something celestial. A guest room designed to feel like a meditative clay pot, warm, earthy, and safe. A bedroom with dramatic dark blue walls, playful jungle-themed wallpaper, and an ever-changing arrangement—forming an intimate cocoon of warmth and whimsy.

But their home didn’t just hold them—it grew. Thee Color Block blossomed from their shared vision, becoming a space for creative expression and community. A gathering place for friends, artists, and storytellers, where ideas flowed as freely as the music and laughter that filled its walls.

What started as an experiment—one gathering, one night—quickly became a movement. Artists, musicians, poets, dancers, and chefs arrived, filling the space with something sacred. Their home became something alive, breathing, expanding.

This great love culminated in their next great production, Jarobi’s proposal to Teal on a rainy, foggy Saturday afternoon on March 9, 2024. Typically unable to lie his way out of a paper bag, Jarobi somehow managed to convince Teal to attend an “art event for work” at The Cloisters, part of the Met Museum. Teal begrudgingly agreed, grumbling every step of the way—until she noticed Jarobi’s breathing growing heavier as they walked through the park.

Through stuttered, labored breaths, he managed to get out, “You know, every time we come to this park, I think of our first date.”

Teal felt it then—that familiar pull in her chest, the weight of something unspoken hanging between them. Was this what she thought it was?

A few steps later, Jarobi turned to her, took a deep breath, and dropped to one knee. The world quieted. Then, he poured everything into six words:

"Teal Holliday, will you marry me?"

After a moment of shock, Teal said yes, and they clung to each other, holding on like the world had just realigned itself. Now they could bring to life what they already knew was real. They would be partners for life. And the next.

Through it all, they have remained each other’s greatest champions. Teal’s work on the stage, film, and music—whether performing, writing, or bringing her vision to life—has flourished with Jarobi’s unwavering support. And as Jarobi continues to grow as a filmmaker, musician, and storyteller, Teal is by his side, pushing him to dream bigger, to tell the stories only he can tell. Their creative worlds are intertwined, their belief in each other limitless.

Teal and Jarobi continue to build the life of their dreams—one filled with love, art, creativity, travel, great food, bold outfits, and the joy of embracing it all.

From that midnight meeting in the Cloisters to a home filled with color, music, and creation, their story has been one of endless evolution. A love that started in a park, stretched across fire escapes, and now fills worlds with art, love, and life.

And the best part?

We’ve only just begun.

T&J